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Backs fall again in extra time.

The Warriors picked up where they left off in the first period on Friday night, at the Shaw Centre in Salmon Arm. As moments after the opening face-off, Liam Blackburn skated in over the line and passed the puck back to the point to Kristian Blumenschein who fired a shot into traffic that starting goalie Angus Redmond kept out, just 29 seconds into the first period.

The Silverbacks then opened the scoring, as Logan Mick skated the puck out of the corner and passed it to the line to Bennett Morrison who let a rising shot go through traffic, Morrision’s second of the season from Mick and AP Logan Mostat at 5:08.

Logan Mick took the first penalty of the game, behind the Warriors goal as he was called for hooking on Blumenschein at 8:52. Mick then was called for slashing on Jason Cotton, as Cotton’s stick snapped in half deep in Silverbacks territory at 13:54. The Silverbacks killed off both of the man-advantage’s and edged West Kelowna on the shot-clock 10-9 after 20 minutes.

7:09 into the second period, Shane Danyluk was called for slashing after a battle around the Warriors goal and West Kelowna went to it’s third power-play of the game. Andrew Johnson tied the game for the home-team on the man-advantage, as Michal Holub centred the puck from behind the Silverbacks net and AP Anthony Bishop picked up the second assist on Johnson’s fourth. Less than two minutes later, Carson Bolduc was called for boarding deep in the corner to left of Redmond at 10:49 which gave the Warriors their fourth power-play of the game. The ‘Backs killed off the penalty but, West Kelowna took it’s first lead of the game as Johnson picked up the puck in the neutral zone and skated in along the right wing and snapped a shot up and over Redmond. Johnson’s second of the game and fifth of the season at 15:35, Bishop with the assist as the Warriors lead 2-1 into the third period. The Silverbacks out-shot West Kelowna 12-9 in the second frame.

The ‘Backs went on their first power-play of the game to begin the third period, as Michael Buonincontri received an unsportsmanlike penalty at the end of the second frame. The Silverbacks weren’t able to capitalize with the extra-man and seconds later, Warriors starter Andy Desautels preserved their 2-1 lead by robbing Bryden Marsh at the side of the goal. Minutes later, Ross Heidt worked the puck into West Kelowna territory and on goal, the puck then got back to the blue-line and Andrew Farny fired a low shot into traffic that found it’s way past Desautels. Logan Mick assisted on Farny’s seventh, which tied the game two at 2:51. But just 14 seconds after the goal, Mick was called for elbowing in the neutral zone at 3:05 and Josh Blanchard was penalized for hooking Michal Holub deep in the Silverbacks zone. The Warriors had a 5-on-3 man-advantage for 33 seconds, their fifth and six power-plays and the Backs’ called their time-out before West Kelowna went to work. The Warriors passed the puck around off of the face-off in Silverbacks territory and Blackburn moved to the top of the slot before passing off to Jason Cotton in the left circle who wired a shot past Redmond. The Warriors regained the lead, 3-2 at 4:47 with Blackburn and Blumenschein assisting on the 5-on-3 power-play marker. Damion Chrcek gave West Kelowna it’s seventh power-play of the game at 6:08, as he was called for checking from behind and ejected with an automatic game misconduct after taking down Andrew Johnson in the corner to left of Redmond. Shane Danyluk then tried to break into the Warriors zone but was held up by Cotton who was penalized for holding at 6:55, creating 4-on-4 play before the Silverbacks had a brief power-play, their second.

After a penalty and goal filled third period, the Warriors lead 3-2 into the final minute before Nic Josephs worked the puck into the West Kelowna zone, Carson Bolduc centred it from behind the net and Josephs tied the game from the side of net with 57.2 seconds remaining in the period. But just 1:04 into the 4-on-4 overtime period, Blackburn worked free in the Silverbacks slot and fired the puck past Redmond for the Warriors second consecutive OT victory over the ‘Backs, 4-3. The Silverbacks out-shot the Warriors 11-2 in the third, and West Kelowna had the only shot in overtime. The ‘Backs out-shot the Warriors 33-21 overall. The Silverbacks finished 0-for-two on the power-play, while the Warriors were two-for-seven with the man-advantage.

Assistant Coach Misko Antisin’s thought’s post-game.

The Silverbacks are 6-6-0-4 with 16 points in 16 games. The Backs will travel to Coquitlam on Wednesday to meet the defending League champion Express at 7p.m. at the Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre.